


Take a hike

by poeticeclipse



Category: The Office (US)
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Injury
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-06
Updated: 2018-12-06
Packaged: 2019-09-12 21:23:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,919
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16879431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/poeticeclipse/pseuds/poeticeclipse
Summary: An office camp out in the woods what could go wrong?If you're Ryan everything. Thank goodness for friends like Jim and Pam.





	Take a hike

**Author's Note:**

> Medical inaccuracies more than likely.  
> Also spelling because I completely made up the word  
> disoriantly because it sounded best to my ear so, I was  
> like screw it I'm Shakespeare;)

Ryan's pov

I hate Michael, I hate camping and I hate these stupid woods! I think angrily  
to myself stamping through the trees and away from the campsite. This  
whole idea was ridiculous. An overnight camp out as some sort of  
"team building exercise." I had tried to get out of it.

"You know Michael I'm not really part of the team." I had said. "I'm just a temp."

Michael had looked personally affronted.

"Of course you're part of the team Ryan. You're part of my special team." 

I didn't want to think too hard about what that might imply. Dwight had seethed in jealousy,  
Jim snickered and Pam had tried to suppress an amused smile.

"C'mon man, maybe it won't be so bad." Jim said. 

"Yeah, it might be fun." Pam added, though she didn't sound too convinced.

"That's the spirit!" Michael cheered. 

I was so done with these people.

The bus hired to drive us out is cramped and humid. Between all the  
supplies and people there's barely any room to sit. 

"Ryan! Ryan! over here!" Michael waves frantically." You can squeeze in with me." He grins manically.  
Dwight glares sitting next to him. 

"Um...thanks-" I begin nervously.

"Yo, Ryan, room over here." Jim calls. 

There really isn't, between him and Pam on the bench seat. I shuffle over anyway. 

"Thanks." I say squeezing past to sit by the window. 

"No problem."

"Hey." Pam smiles. 

"Hi." 

"So," Jim asks after a minute of silence. "how's school going?" 

Honestly I'm a little puzzled by the seat invitation and the "getting to know you" questions  
but I don't want to appear too rude since I did just get saved from having to sit next to Michael.  
So I answer cautiously and we make idle small talk for awhile before the humidity and rumbling  
of the bus have me nodding off. 

When I wake it's to Pam, eyes soft, gently shaking my shoulder.  
Jim is in the aisle stretching so I assume we finally made it.  
Joy. I think dryly.  
Standing stiffly I clamber off with the others and help unload the gear.  
After confirming the pick up time with Michael again the driver puts  
the bus in gear and rumbles off down the road leaving us behind.  
We're all just kind of standing there looking around silently.  
I pull my phone out thinking about checking my e-mail real quick.

...Of course. No signal.

"Well! that clearing over there looks like an excellent spot."  
Dwight says immediately trying to take charge.

Angela huffs. "Well I think we should set up camp under the trees to  
avoid the sun." 

"Michael made me camp guide-"  
"Assistant." Michael mutters.  
Dwight continues seeming not to have even heard.  
"and I was a scout, never camp under the trees unless you want dead  
branches falling and crushing you while you sleep."

Angela rolls her eyes clearly annoyed. 

"Fine, fine let's just head for the clearing." Michael interjects.

Everyone groans and grabs their gear following Dwight.  
I'm already sweating, gnats are buzzing I'm so irritated I don't even notice the branch till I'm tripping over it.  
Jim's hand shoots out and grabs my elbow steadying me. I'm half tempted to snarl and yank my arm away but refrain.

"Thanks." I mutter.

"Sure." He says. "Not an outdoors type huh?" 

"Not especially."

"Me neither." Pam pipes up. 

I didn't even realize she was walking next to us.  
We've only been out here for a little while but already my allergies are flaring up making my throat tighten.  
I dig through my pack for my inhaler and take a puff, waiting for relief.

"I didn't know you had asthma." Pam remarks. 

Jim glances over looking concerned. "Is it bad?" He asks. 

"It's fine. So long as I don't misplace my inhaler." I say uncomfortable with the attention. 

The silence begins to stretch as we walk.

"So...were either of you in the scouts?" Pam asks to break the silence.

"I was for a couple weeks, till I set a skunk loose in the scout leader's tent and was kicked out." Jim replies shrugging. 

"You did not!" Pam says laughing.

I snort. That's such a Jim thing to do. 

"How about you?" He asks me curiously  
.  
"No. Not really my thing."

"What was your thing then?"

"Sports I suppose. Mainly baseball."

"I can see that." Pam says smiling.

"Cool. I used to play little league myself." Jim says.

"Yeah? any good."

"I did alright." He shrugs.

I nod as we finally approach the clearing.

"So first order of business is setting up your tent." Dwight declares.  
"Then Michael and I will unpack the gear, Angela and Pam can be in charge  
of the food," He starts assigning tasks to everyone. "and Ryan can gather  
the firewood." 

Kevin starts giggling right away. 

I sigh. 

"Fireboy really!?" He's still laughing. 

"Knock it off Kevin." Pam says annoyed.

"But don't you remember he started the fire?" He continues.

"Let it go man." Jim says. 

"Whatever." I huff brushing past. Tossing my pack down I start unpacking my tent.

Jim wonders over after awhile plunking his bag down next to mine.  
"You mind?" he asks.

"No go ahead." I mumble.

Setting up a tent should not be this hard I think struggling to cram the stupid  
polls in.

"Here let me give ya a hand." Jim offers.

Kevin walks by snickering.

We eventually get both our tents up and Pam's as well after she joins us in our little line.  
"Looks good." Jim admires standing back.

I guess it does but honestly I'm so tired, my lungs are killing me and I'm still irritated  
at Kevin's words and that stupid nickname.

"Dinner time!" Michael hollers banging on a pot. We all wonder over and start fixing plates before gathering round the fire.

"Hey, uh, don't sit too close there." Kevin grins at me.

I swear I'm about to snap. 

"How's the food?" Pam interrupts bumping shoulders with me, sitting to my right. Jim plops down on my left.

I'm still staring at Kevin across the fire. "Good." I finally reply looking at my plate. I have yet to taste anything.

"Angela wanted to make her vegan chili, but I don't know I thought hotdogs  
were more campy, ya know?" 

"Sure."

"Ever see the stars away from the city lights?" Jim asks changing the subject.

"Can't say that I have."

"You're in for a treat then." He says. "It's really something.

Once dinner is over everyone helps clean up. I'm packing away the pans when  
Kevin wonders over. 

"Phew!" He says wiping his forehead. "We made it through the cookout without you starting a forest fire."  
He smirks. "Good job pal." He pats my shoulder. 

I snap. Forcefully pushing his hand away and roughly shoving him back.  
I'm so angry I just turn and march straight off into the  
woods, putting as much distance between myself and my coworkers as I can.  
The sun's beginning to set when I realize this was a really bad idea. Well  
that, and the fact that I'm now wheezing and don't even have my inhaler on me.  
I'm about to turn back when I feel a stinging pain at my neck causing my steps  
to falter, my foot catches on a root and my ankle twists  
painfully. I hear a snap as I fall to the ground clutching at my foot, red hot  
pain clouds my eyes.

 

Pam's pov

The sun's beginning to set as I stand gazing around the campsite.  
Stanley's already snoring in his tent, Michale's trying in vain to chase down a  
squirrel and get a picture, Jim's antagonizing Dwight, but where's Ryan I wonder.  
Jim and I have been trying to get to know him better, befriend him.  
He's pretty closed off most of the time but there's also this vulnerability that  
sometimes shines through that not only intrigues us but makes us feel a bit protective  
of him. We knew this trip wasn't going to be much fun for  
him especially after the whole fire incident, Dwight and Kevin still like to  
haze him about it. But something about watching him sleep on the bus today,  
face pressed against the window, really hit home just how young he really is.  
By the look on Jim's face I knew he was thinking the same thing and we had  
made a pact to look out for him. Good job, I think to myself.

"Hey Jim." I call. "Have you seen Ryan?" 

He stops what he's doing looking over in concern. "No. why?"

"He took off." Kevin puffs walking over cheeks flushed.

"What do you mean 'Took off'?" Jim questions, eyes narrowed.

"I mean he just flipped out on me and stalked off into the woods."

"Jim." I say worried.

"We'll find him."

"Are you kidding it'll be getting dark soon." Kevin says, then sneezes.  
"Darn allergies.

"Jim! Ryan doesn't have his inhaler."

His eyes widen. "Shoot!" 

"Okay. Okay." He says "We'll grab some supplies and go look for him.

"which direction did he go?" He asks. Kevin just points.

"C'mon."

We dig through Ryan's tent to find his backpack. Opening it up to  
make sure his inhaler is actually in there I come across an epi pen.

"Um, Jim, what does this mean?" I ask holding it up.

He looks grim. " It means it's a bigger deal than he wanted us to think." He says. 

Hurrying we grab a first aid kit, some blankets and water and head out.  
We haven't been walking for too long but already I'm beginning to feel frantic.

"There!" Jim shouts running forward. 

My stomach drops. He's on the ground eyes closed, not moving.  
Getting closer I see he's pale and sweating, his lips are a disturbing blue, breath wheezing horribly. 

"Jim do something!" 

"Ryan!" He crouches beside him gripping his shoulder. "C'mon man! what happened?"

Ryan's lids flutter briefly. "Ss-ting." He stutters out."

"What? What does that mean?" I ask looking to Jim.

"I think he's saying something stung him. He might be going into shock."

"Where Ryan!?" 

He disoriantly tilts his head slightly.

"Your neck?" we both begin frantically searching his neck.

"Wait! is that it?" I point.

"How in the world did you manage to see that?" Jim questions, gently using  
his nail to scrape the stinger away.

"Okay I need to inject the epi pen." He says glancing up, hands shaking slightly  
before jamming it straight through Ryan's pants and into his leg.

After an agonizing minute he's still gasping for air.  
"Here!" He says quickly. " I'll sit him up and you give him his inhaler."

"Okay." I say hands shaking.

He pulls Ryan to his chest bracing him. I get the inhaler between his lips  
and press the trigger. Another minute and it seems only slightly better.

"Again." Jim says, voice tight. I press down again and we wait.

"Okay Ry?" Jim asks softly, stroking his arm.

"Mmmm." He mumbles, head lolling back onto Jim's shoulder.

"We need to get him to a hospital."

"I don't know if we'll be able to get anywhere tonight  
he says pulling out a flashlight and sitting it to point up.

I turn back to Ryan. He's shaking. "Ryan?" I start to question reaching  
out and smoothing a hand down his leg. He cries out flinching back into Jim.

"What?! What?!" We both call out at the same time panicked.

He's gasping struggling to pull air in and push it out.  
"What'd you touch?" Jim asks grabbing the flashlight and running it over Ryan.

"His leg...foot." I stutter. Jim points the beam towards his foot and I carefully  
lift his pant leg. "Oh my goodness." I cover my mouth.

His ankle is viciously bruised with a huge knot practically the size of a tennis ball forming  
on the side.

"Crap!" Jim says quietly. "That's probably broken."

"What do we do?"

"Think you can splint it while I hold him?"

"Yeah." I reply nervously reaching for the first aid kit.

It's awful I hate it! He screams hoarsely when I work his shoe off,  
then twists and cries out as I'm wrapping it tight. Jim's doing his best  
to calm him, arms wrapped around his waist and chest squeezing, his face pressed  
into the side of his talking to him softly. 

I get it taped off. "Done."

"Here that Ry? It's over. You did so good, okay?" He presses a kiss to his cheek hugging him tight. 

"I'm sorry Ryan." I say squeezing his hand.

His breathing is starting to work it's way down but he's still shivering.  
I wrestle the two blankets from the backpack and we carefully spread them  
out. The three of us together Ryan in the middle.

"Hey look." Jim says softly, brushing back Ryan's hair. "See the stars?"

He nods.

"Beatiful huh?" Jim continues, doing his best to distract him.

"I don't like them." He whispers. "They make me feel small."

Jim and I glance at each other it's not like Ryan to open up.  
"What do you mean?"

"Like I'm insignificant, like nothing I do matters." He chokes.

"You matter Ry." Jim says, once again pressing a kiss to his head.  
He turns his face into Jim's shoulder closing his eyes. Jim looks to me worried but says nothing more.  
I reach over and gently skim my fingers up and down Ryan's back, he seems to be dozing  
so I close my eye and snuggle in as well hoping for morning to come soon.

Jim's pov

I'm the first to wake the next morning. Ryan on my chest, Pam pressed to  
his back and my arms around them both. I've never been so content I think,  
just watching them sleep. Ryan's still very pale though so we need to start moving.  
I brush a hand across his cheek watching him stir, eyelashes fluttering.

"Morning." I whisper tapping his cheek. He groans squeezing his eyes shut tighter.

"Here." I offer him some water, knowing he was nauseous most of the night from pain.  
Waking several times to gag and dry heave, each time exhausting him more, the coughing  
making tears leak from the corners of his eyes and there was nothing I could do but  
offer him water and let him bury his face in my chest while I rubbed his back.  
He takes a few tentative sips before handing it back. 

Behind him Pam blinks awake. "Hey." She says softly, sitting up and stretching.

"Hey." I reply.

"Hey." Ryan finally mumbles, still looking at his feet, he seems to be working hard  
to control his breathing. It worries me. 

"Need your inhaler?" 

"N-no." he says sucking in air.

"C'mon if you need-" But I don't get to finish because he's leaning over  
retching. Hard. And that sets off the coughing which sets off the gasping and suddenly  
he can't even breathe. 

"Jim!" Pam shouts panicked. 

I grab him, sticking my finger in his mouth I clear his airway then shove the inhaler in pumping twice.  
C'mon, c'mon, I think. 

He crashes into my side wrapping his arms around me, he's crying I think.  
"Hey, hey, it's okay." I hold him tight. His breath is hitching. He's got to calm down.

Pam leans in wrapping her arms around him from behind pressing a kiss into his shoulder.  
"It's alright we've got you." She says softly. We sit like that till he eventually calms.

He pulls away wiping at his eyes. "Sorry." He mutters embarrassed. 

"Don't be you've been through a lot." Pam says rubbing his shoulder. 

"What now?" She asks looking at me.

"Well, since we have no service out here to call for an ambulance we'll have to make it back  
to the clearing and wait for the bus." 

"How?" Ryan asks. 

"I hope you're a fan of piggy back rides." I say wryly. He shakes his head rubbing at his temples. Pam giggles. 

"C'mon." I say.

It's not bad, honestly he weighs next to nothing I'm more concerned about watching my footing  
and not jarring his ankle. His chin rests on my shoulder, face pressing against mine, I can tell  
he's clammy. I feel like sinking to my knees in relief when we finally spot the clearing.  
Everyone rushes forward shouting trying to figure out what happened. Kevin just keeps spouting  
"Sorry." over and over. 

"Later, later." I shout. "Michael how long before the bus gets here?"

"'Bout an hour." 

Ryan's shivering against my back. "Okay, he needs to lie down but as soon as  
that bus gets here we need to head straight for a hospital got it?" 

Everyone nods quietly.

Pam follows along behind me. Together we get Ryan settled in his tent and lay next to him  
wrapping him in our arms to try and keep him from shaking. 

"Hurts." He whimpers.

"I know babe." I whisper. "The bus will be here soon okay?" 

He fades in and out of consciousness till the bus gets here. Dwight and I manage to carefully carry him onto the bus.  
He sits on my lap with his leg stretched out on the seat and his ankle carefully elevated.  
Pam and I have already discussed taking him home to my place to look after him when he's  
released from the hospital. We'll bring it up to him later, right now all I want him to do is rest.  
He lays his head against my shoulder burying his face in my neck. 

"Jim?" He mumbles against my skin. 

"Yeah buddy?" 

"I hate camping."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. Feel free to drop a comment:)


End file.
